Above; Prototype simulator

The first Concorde simulator arrives at Toulouse in 1975, it is commissioned by September that same year.

The Concorde Simulators

The British and French Concorde Simulators first entered service in 1975  just two were built and cost approximately £3 million, equivalent to some £20 million at today’s prices.

One of the most sophisticated aircraft simulators ever created, it was installed at the British Aircraft Corporation in Filton, near Bristol, and for 28 years was used to train British Airways Concorde aircrew.

 

On 25th April 1975 the first Concorde flight training : simulator was delivered by the French firm L . M . T . to Aeroformation,

the organisation in charge of Concorde air crew training at Toulouse.

This unit, specifically designed for the conversion training programme, was in the process of installation between July and September 1975 It was to be

fully operational at the beginning of September 1975 when it was to be used for training the second group of Air France's crews.

The L.M.T. simulator featured the latest state of the art in the creation of

a life like in-flight cockpit environment.

Mounted on a base which  provided all six degrees of motion freedom, it incorporated recording and playback capabilities that made it possible to present the crew with a comparison of their own actual manoeuvres with pre-recorded ideal manoeuvres. The Link visual system added the ability to use the trainer to simulate minimum landing category conditions for the first time.

The only working Concorde simulator at Brooklands

The French Simulator at Toulouse, now working (September 1975)

The UK simulator followed very quickly 

This simulator was produced by a consortium of Redifon Flight Simulation Ltd. and Singer (UK) Link-Miles Division.

The British Simulator at Filton, now the only working Concorde Simulator in the world at Brooklands

Original UK Simulator with a model and a moving camera

Close up of the Camera and model (wall mounted)

By todays standards these simulators are crude however in 1975 this really was state of the art technology, the simulation was model based and a roving camera mounted on a bogie was used to simulate actual flight.

Left you can see the map system model and above a close up of the camera and model

 

See also the mock up airport with Concorde parked, this was used for taxxi simulation.

Close up of the original UK Simulator model and moving camera

The model and an idea of scale

The airport (strangely similar to Heathrow)

Some of the information and images on this page were very kindly provided by the Brooklands Museum Archive.

Heritage Concorde would like to thank Brooklands for their help on this page.

End of Concorde operations

Visitors may see the Concorde Simulator in demonstration mode free of charge, subject to operational constraints.

 

Brooklands also offer special ‘At the Controls of Concorde’ packages, which include flying the Concorde Simulator under instruction from a British Airways Concorde pilot.

 

‘At the Controls’ Silver Flights include a briefing by your Concorde Captain, a Concorde Experience ‘flight’ on G-BBDG, one hour in the simulator including 15 minutes at the controls, instruction by your Concorde Captain and a Concorde Simulator Certificate signed by the Captain. 

 

‘At the Controls’ Gold Flights are as for Silver Flights plus a Bucks Fizz Welcome Reception with the Captain in the Members’ Bar in the Clubhouse, a three course Captain’s Lunch with wine and soft drinks and two hours in the simulator including 30 minutes at the controls. 

 

Click above to fly Concorde

TO VISIT THIS CONCORDE SIMULATOR IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION TODAY, CLICK ON THIS LINK

When Concorde operations ceased at the end of 2003, British Airways decommisioned the simulator and, a year later, it was dismantled and transported to Brooklands Museum

As a result of a three year project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and led by a team of volunteers from the Museum and the University of Surrey, along with the expert assistance of XPI Simulation, this unique piece of aviation technology can be flown again as a fixed-base unit – the only operational Concorde Simulator in the world.

Pictures of the simulators